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Dedicated To The Progress Of 1 ■ — "WILMINGTON Served by Leased Wire of theAnd Southeastern North ASSOCIATED PRESSCarolina With Complete Coverage of___ State and National Newss'^—----WILMINGTON, N. C., SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 1940 _-fr +_ESTABLISHED 1867OFFICIALS SA YNEW PROPOSALIS IMPOSSIBLEBritish LegislatorsMake Plans To UrgeStrong Balkan PolicyLONDON, March 15. — UW —British legislators today mappeda bid for a bold diplomatic policy ill the Balkans and the NearEast, backed by British andFrench military might, as ameasure to thwart possible extension of war.Informed sources disclosedthat a number of members otparliament planned to demandsuch a vigorous policy whenPrime Minister Chamberlainmakes his next statement on theprogress of the war before thelower house on Tuesday.These members, it was said,will contend that the need forsuch a policy has become moreurgent with the end of the Kussian-Finnish conflict and thefear in some quarters of a possible Russian or Russian-Germandrive into Rumania.(In contrast, an unofficial butweli-qualilied source in Rerunsaid on Thursday that Germanyhad obtained a definite pledgefrom Russia to spare Rumania,come what may in southeasternEurope. The pledge, it was said,might enable German diplomatsto steer Rumania away from theallies and into a non-aggressionpact with the Soviet Union.)FRENCH CABINETCHANCES SLATEDDaladier Backed By CleanVote Of Confidence Following Senate QuizPARIS, March 15— —WithFrench war cabinet changes reported in the offing, Premier Daladieremerged tonight from a two-daysecret senate quiz on his war policies backed by a clean vote of confidence, 240 to 0, that he wouldwage war against Germany with"increasing energy.”The session, which began amidstwidespread calls for "action” on thewestern front, ended with renewedhints that Daladier would makesome changes in his war cabinet byEaster. There were a number ofabstentions from the vote amongstthe 310 members of the senate.Parliamentary sources voiced belief that the Allied Generalissimo,Maurice Gustave Gamelin, wouldtake over the war portfolio nowheld by Daladier, leaving a battlescarred veteran of many wars, General Alphose Georges, 64, in command of the Allied land forces.There has been criticism of Daladier because he holds too many jobs—premier, minister of war, nationaldefense and foreign affairs.The unanimous expression by thesenate today, however, gave Daladier an endorsement of the freehand given his government by thechamber of deputies after a similarsecret debate February 10.Daladier had to defend his policiesbefore the senate against criticismmade sharper by the failure of theAllies to act in time to aid Finland.The EuropeanWar Situation(By The Associated Press)HELSINKI — Finnish diet approves Russian - Finnish .peacetreaty, 145 to 3; Finnish troopsretreat four miles along 226-milefront. .BUCHAREST — King Carolbalks at German scheme topledge Russia and Hungary toguarantee Rumania’s frontiersin return for increased flow ofRumanian raw materials; monarch doesn’t want pro-Nazi Ironguardist in cabinet.PARIS—Baladier wins 240 to0 confidence vote from Frenchsenate; war cabinet changes rumored, with Generalissimo Gamelin reported slated for war ministry. 'ROME — Welles arrives forfinal series of conferences, tosee Pope Pius Ail, uiussoumand Ciano before sailing Tuesday.London — British legislatorsmap plans for bold diplomaticpolicy in Balkans and hear east.INVOLVES GUARANTEESCarol Indignant Over Suggestion He Take IronGuardist Into CabinetASK DEMOBILIZATIONPlan Believed Doomed ToFlat Rejection UnlessModified By NazisBy ROBERT S. JOHNBUCHAREST, Rumania, March15—(Saturday)—UP)—High Rumanian government sources declared today that the conditions of a German“security” offer to Rumania, involving proferred long-term guaranteesfrom Russia and Hungary, were “intellerable and impossible of acceptance.”King Carol, close associates said,was particularly indignant over a reported German suggestion that hatake a pro-Nazi iron guardist into hiscabinet as a condition for such "security.”inner nans upposeaOther Nazzi overtures in theeconomic field, cited also by tie -many as conditions for hands-offpledges by Russia and Hungary, 'ikewise encountered stiff oppositionhere.The king’sadvisers were represented as feeling that any Rumanian attempt to meet German demands fora monopoly on Rumanian exportsas the prices o' guarantees wouldwreck the ciuntry economically almost as much as war itself.Still another Nazi proposal—Rumanian demobilization—was opposedby military quarters as likely to put.this country completely at the mercyof foreign powers, no matter whatguara. tees were made on paperAuthoritative sources said theplan was doomed to flat rejectionunless Germany showed a dispositionto modify it greatly. As things stand,Rumania has an Allied pledge ofassistance against aggression, madepi.or to the war.Guards In GermanyAs for the iron guardist matter:—Fugitive leaders of this organization who are in Germany are stillbarred from their homeland, despitecurrent amnesty offers to repenten(Continued On Page Three; Col. 1)RED, Jap TROOPSCLASH ON BORDERSoviets Reported To HaveSustained Several Casualties In EngagementTOYOHARA, Karafuto Island, Japan, March 16.—(Saturday)—(iP)—Soviet troops were reported to havesustained more than a dozen casualties today in a clash between Russianand Japanese border patrols near thoSaghalien-Karafuto boundary.Two Japanese were reported tohave been wounded.The Japanese said the Soviet patrol opened fire without warningwhen the two patrols met.(The Island of Karafuto (or Saghaiieri) was occupied by Japanese forcesduring the Russo-Japanese war inAugust, 1905 and the acquisition byJapan of that part of the islandsouth of the fiftieth parallel was confirmed by the treaty of Portsmouth,concluded between Japan and Russia in October of the same year.)Sit-Down ShoppersWin Shorter Shopping HoursAnd Greater SavingsStar and News Want Adshave made sit-down shoppingfashionable and profitable.Thousands of people arewaiting to read your ad intomorrow’s Star-News. Thefact that such a great massof people rely exclusively onStar and News Want Adsenables you to rent, sell, hirehelp, etc., quickly and atlowest advertising cost,through this newspaper.Call 2800 NowTo Start Your Want AdCharge It_Seven Perish In Charlotte Apartment FireSeven OthersBadly Burned,Many EscapeGuthery Building Enveloped By Smoke, Flames Before Firemen Arrive10SS TOTALS $75,00(Fireman Is Injured WhenWoman Jumps From Window, Strikes His BackCHARLOTTE, March 15.—VP)—Aswiftly-spreading fire in a downlorn apartment house brought death»seven persons here early todaySeven others were so badly hurlthey required hospital treatment.Dozens of other occupants of theipartment. the Guthery, situated orNorth Tryon street just a block fromthe business district, escaped byfleeing in their night clothing intoimp, sub-freezing weather.Smoke and flames enveloped thetryon street section of the blockbag building when firemen arrivedshortly after 1 a. m., to find thatmany of its residents had alreadybeen injured, and some killed, byjumping from the second and thirdfloors.Ladders mrecieaFiremen, assisted by city andcounty policemen, hastily put upladders, all the time warning menand women in the windows not toleap, and began bringing occupantsto the ground.Fireman W. P. Pittman was Injured when a woman jumped froma third-story window and fell uponhis back as he was carrying twoother women down a ladder.The dead: Mrs. Hazelle E. Martin,manager of a gift shop, and her 21rear-old son, Edward, a businesscollege student; H. Russell Eley, oilcompany clerk, and his wife, Mrs.Etta ,M, Eley, 32, a department storeemploye; Miss Lucy Walton, 43, aprivate nurse; Miss Rowena Dickton, 26, of Wilson, and Tommy(Continued On Page Three; Col. 1)CAPE FEAR RIVERFLOOD FORECASTExpected To Reach 32-FootStage At FayettevilleTonight Or TomorrowTliP oap(, pear river wj]j reaehwd stage at Fayetteville—from 320 33 feet—tonight or early tomorb* morning, the Raleigh weather™bau informed local weathermenM night,Excessive rains in the watershed"" s‘ven as the reasons for theB% water.Rains came to a halt in Wilmingn yesterday and the weathermanbmised fair and slightly warmerather today. Some frost was forea for this morning, however.1 osterdaj' was the first time sinceall that day and /night were'Wally lo hr,,,.-.. ,.5-’a a- m„ and setting at 6:20' Weathermen said that this~ua. early appearance will beup next fall when the real^ ox "ill be five days late. Temtj,!|lU'?s J'esterday ranged from atlthr 64 4° a low of 37 degrees)(;, .e mean five above the normal!3 degrees.Leather!Komi ~ FORECAST,ir slowu- l!"a nnd Houth Carolina:'/I mtn £‘-nR temperature Saturbleienrnir „ fai.r a'"' "'armer.I,llill8 7:3o^,lcil dala for the 21 hours1 • in. yesterday).1=30 a. rn I*1"?*™'"re5-.47; 7.00 4’*> ‘:30 a. m. 37; 1:30 p.1D|mum ‘>7. ' ,n- ^ > maximum 04;• - moan 5R; normal 53.a. rn .-""ml'lity■ 7:30' p.‘ m.‘ 52. *• 72! 1:30 p'I,Hi for o/f-b-bntion£>he; tJ'?ur* "nding 7:30 p. m."th ]'04 inches. first of the5 (From For Today'Coast andVvortn Published by U.“ beodetre Survey.)llmi»gton High Low„2;45a 10:30aioro Inlet 3:10p 10:25P6:20a- « 12:24P 6:55p' :03al n>oin™noe:53a.:2°P: m°°n'W?h, flood*',, r’ver e*Pected to*ht °r ran. : at FayettevilleHWl * tomorrow.U««lUe On I*lafie Threej Col. 4)————i____—^^»mJlAfter Pilot Battled Passengera uaiue net ween two men in the tiny cockpit of a plane 2.000 feet aliove New York Bay endedthe plane crashed into Greenyille channel, 800 feet off Jersey City. Pilot Joseph Rosemarin, 38,ushed to Jersey City Medical Center, suffering a head wound, said a passenger he took up from FloydBennett field hit him over the head with a pair of pliers. He said he struck back and apparentlystunned the passenger but that in the struggle the plane had gone out of control. The body of the unidentified passenger rolled out of the cockpit into th e water when the plane was lifted onto a float, wherethe wreckage is shown. Police startling grappling operations at once.Work Ut Kazing BuildingFor Theatre Is StartedREQUIRES SIX WEEKSContractor McKoy Says HeWill Use Local Labor InErecting BuildingWork of razing the old Purcellbuilding on North Front street tomake way for the construction ofa new theatre for Wilmington wasstarted yesterday morning, HenryMcKoy, general contractor, ofGreenville, S-..C., announced.Demolition work will requireabout six weeks and work on thenew theare building will be startedimmediately thereafter, Mr. McKoysaid.The demolition contract has beensub-let to J. E. Sternberger.The building housed Honnett’sJewelry and Baxter’s Billiard Parlor.Mr. McKoy said last night that hewill use all local labor, with the exception of building superintendents,and will purchase all materials forthe building in Wilmington.A native of Wilmington, Mr. McKoy now lives and operates a contracting business in Greenville.In discussing plans for the newtheatre building, he said it will costapproximately $100,000 and will beone of the finest in this section.The theatre is being built by Wilmington Theatres, Inc., George W.Bailey, president, and is expected tobe opened early next September.SCHOOL PROJECTSAPPROVED BY WPAImprovements Slated To BeMade At Wallace, Fairmont, WhitevilleFunds totaling $62,189 for threeschool projects in southeasternNorth Carolina were allocated by theWPA in Raleigh yesterday.The three projects include:An addition to the Wallace school,$27,883; a gymnasium at Fairmont,$27,094; and an industrial arts building at Whiteville for $7,212.L j. Jordan, WPA area supervisorhere, said last night that work onthe Fairmont gymnasium is scheduled to be started on March 30.Work on the industrial arts building, which' will be located at thenegro high school in Whiteville, willbe commenced on March 24, he said.In-all, the WPA approved 12 projects yesterday to cost $474,998 andprovide work for 1,306 persons. Chiefamong the new projects is a schoolat Ruffin in Rockingham county tocost $145,445.Others included Buncombe county,$33,746 for roads; Martin county,$29,040 for a colored school at Farmele, and $31,438 to improve streetsand sidewalks at Williamston; Durham, $17,122 for a garage at N. c.C. N.; $927 for a waterline at Brevard; Yancey county, $72«''39 J"roads; Haywood county, *45’739roads; and Watauga county, ? , •for roads. V.'r__Export Freight GainIs Reported By RailsWASHINGTON, March 15.——VP)—The Association of American Railroads said today exportfreight handled through Atlanticand Gulf ports in February was"appreciably greater’’ than in thesame months last year.Despite the increase that hastaken place in recent months inexport traffic, the associationsaid, the movement by rail to theports is being handled withoutcongestion or delay. It attributed this to the cooperation orsteamship owners, port authorities, shippers, and exporters.SHAWCHO N FORORATORICi EVENTHigh School Senior To Represent District In LegionConducted ContestBynum Shaw, a senior in the NewHanover High school, has beenselected as the High school studentto represent the Seventh district ofNorth Carolina in the Third annualNational High School Oratoricalcontest, now being held throughoutthe United States, R- C. MacMahon,commander of Wilmington Post No.10, American Legion, announcedyesterday.A number of students were considered from the counties of NewHanover, Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus and Pender, but Shaw wasadjudged the most outstanding,Commander MacMahon said.The first competitive meeting ofstudents selected from easternNorth Carolina will be held on Wednesday night, March 27 at Dunn,when Shaw will deliver his orationon the Constitution of the UnitedStates. The winner of that contestwill compete against the winner of(Continued On Page Three; Col. 6)TEMPORARY PORTTIE-UP EFFECTEDWalkout Staged Here WhenLongshoremen, OperatorsStrike Snag At ParleyA temporary tie-up of shippingwas affected in the port of Wilmington yesterday when longshoremen of the city staged a walk-outafter negotiations on the annualcontract between the workers andthe operators struck a snag at aconference yesterday morning.However, last night both unionrepresentatives and shipping interests alike stated that they expectedall longshoremen to return to worktoday as no trouble is expected inadopting the new contract at aconference to be held this morningat 9 o’clock.“It’s nothing serious,” was theway both Alex Hoffman, presidentof Heide and company, one of theleading shippers here, and V. E„Townsend, vice-president of the < International Longshoremen’s association, expressed the situation lastnight.In conversations last night Townsend said that the walkout is“only a temporary tie-up due to amisunderstanding” which he saidwas not serious. “We’ll get together tomorrow morning,” he said.Townsend said that the contractproposed for the coming year isonly slightly different from the onein effect here for the past twoyears. The new contract calls fora slight wage increase.The last contract expired lastSeptember 30 but had been extended from time to time due to theinability of the parties to get together and set a date for drawingup the new contract.Townsend praised the local shippers as “a fine group of operators”and declared that the misunderstanding yesterday morning was nocause for alarm.The Longshoremen's executivelast night also stated that theshippers and longshoremen ofsoutheastern United States portsare contemplating setting up a permanent fact-finding committee that(Continued On Page Three; Col. 7)------iPeace TreatyApproved ByFinnish DietPrime Minister Ryti WarnsCountry Still In ‘TheGreatest Danger’FINN ARMY RETREATSLeader Explains Why LittleCountry Agreed To PeaceAt Russia’s PriceHELSINKI, March 15— UP)—1TheFinnish diet tonight put its formalseal on the Russo-Finnish peacetreaty, approving its stringentterms by 145 votes to 3.uur country, iiKe me wnoie 01Europe—indeed the whole of western civilization—still is in the greatest danger," Prime Minister RistoRyti told the diet in a calm recitalwhich preceded the vote. “No onecan say what tomorrow will bring.”“In the same way as we wagedwar alone; in the same way weconcluded peace alone. Only thefuture can show whether we actedrightly and wisely.”Nine Members AbsentThe three negative votes werecast by members of Finland’s Swedish party. Nine other members,who are In the army, were notpresent to cast their votes.Told by Prime Minister RistoRyti that “to make peace oftencalls for more courage . . . thanthe resort to war,” the parliamentdeliberated for 2 1-2 hours, thenvoted.By the time this happened theheartsick and dog-tired armies ofFinland had tramped four miles,pressing ahead of them a hundredthousand refugees, along a zig-zag,226-mile front, leaving behind therich industrial and farm areaswhich will, henceforth, lie underthe Soviet hammer and sickle.The supreme soviet of the U.S.S.R. is to meet on March 29 toapprove the treaty and, perhaps, toset up a new Soviet socialist republic in the territories which Finland has ceded to Russia—the Karelian isthmus, parts of northeastern Finland, an Arctic peninsulaand, by long lease, the Hanko areaat the mouth of the Gulf of Finland^Explaining why Finland agreedto peace at Russia’s price, Ryti(Continue On Page Three; Col. 4)AFL ASKS INCOMEBOOSTING ACTIONCalls For Expansion Of Industrial Production ToCreate More Jobs\WASHINGTON, March 15—UP>—The American Federation of Laborsuggested concerted action by business, labor and consumer groups today to boost the national income tenbillion dollars in 1940 expanding industrial production and creating 2,700,000 jobs for idle workers.In its monthly survey of businesst:.j Federation said that such an expansion might be brought about byan agreement of the three groupson a course of action.“Such an agreement,” the surveyadded, “would have to safeguard(Continued On Page Three; Col. 2)Full Of IdeasThe idea is—well, the idea isthat that umbrella is made ofpaper which can be cast aside whensoiled, and replaced for only tencents. On the young woman’s feetare non-slip ice slippers. On herright hand is a reflector glove formotorists. These were new gadgetsexhibited by the Inventors ofAmerica at their Kansas City, Me.,convention.COOPER, OTHERSPAY FILING FEESNumber Of Candidates ForState Offices, CongressIncreased To 61RALEIGH, March 15. — (.Pi —Eighteen men—eleven republicansand seven democrats—paid filingfees today to seek nominations inthe May 25th primary.This sudden flood of filers raisedto 61 the number of candidates forcongressional and state offices, andmore are expected to pay their feesbefore the state board of electionscloses its books tomorrow at 6 p.m.,the deadline for filing.The board will meet tomorrow toname the 100 county boards ofelections.Mayor Thomas E. Cooper of Wilmington paid his $105 today, toseek the democratic gubernatorialnomination, becoming the seventhman to enter the race. Previouslyno more than four have sought theparty’s designation.Two others, Bryant Thompson ofHamlet and Edwin P. Hale ofLeaksville, have announced theircandidacies but have not filed.Already filed were J. M. Broughton of Raleigh, A. J. Maxwell ofRaleigh, L. Lee Gravely of RockyMount, W. P. Horton of Pittsboro,Paul D. Grady of Kenly and Arthur Simmons of Burlington.George M. Pritchard of Ashevillequalified to seek the republicangubernatorial nomination againsttwo previous filers—Robert H. Mc(Continued On Page Three; Col. 2)BRIGGS SAYS EDUCATION IN DEMOCRACYIS ANSWER TO CHALLENGE OF FASCISMRALEIGH, March 15.—(AP)Education in the values andprocesses of democracy is theanswer to the challenge of fascism and communism, Dr.Thomas H. Briggs, professor ofeducation at Teachers college,Columbia university, told NorthCarolina teachers tonight.Speaking at the 56th annualmeeting of the North CarolinaEducation association, Dr.Briggs asserted that though noarmed force has landed on American shores, the United Statesalready is in a war against theideologies opposed to democracy.“And,” he said, "democracy ison tiie defensive. Without aconsciousness of danger, without the mobilization of our forcesand without effective weapons,we are enduring a continuous onslaught more threatening becauseit is not generally perceived ...“However much lack of understanding of democracy, lackof devotion to it and apathy exist, I am convinced that there isin the public at large a true devotion to the spirit of democracy, and that when the schoolsmanifest a sincere and intelligent effort to apply it practically to the problems of the nation,the great majority of any community will not only applaud theeffort, but will also defend itagainst the protest of any minority whose selfish interests makeit vocal.“Mosts protests can be defeated by the simple expedient ofshowing that they emanate froma selfishness that is contrary tothe general public good. Butw’hat is far better in the long runis that the schools have a program of education for democracy, that it be soundly based onthe ideals that have general acceptance in the community andthat they make this programwidely known, not merely thatit may have a defense in timeof need, but also that it mayserve to draw the public intothat basic unity which is essential for the preservation of thedemocratic society.”Ur. Briggs spoke at the endof a full day of group discussions, committee reports andelections by branches of theassociation.The convention will end tomorrow following election of officers. According to custom, S.J. Hawfield, principal of thePenderlea school in Pendercounty, probably will be elevated from the vice-presidency tothe presidency, and he is unopposed for the post.However, there are three candidates for vice-president—R. W.Carver of Hickory, K. G. Phillips of Winston-Salem, and M.P. Young of Princeton.Dr. Clyde A. Erwin, speakingtonight, listed the following ten(Continued On Page Three; Col. 3)